Thru Hike Gear List

imported
#1

I’m leaving april 2nd :smiley:
I’d love to hear your opinions!

Shelter: Henry Shires Tarptent (vigra)25 oz

Sleeping pad: Therm-a-rest, UltraLite 3/4, 1 lb.

Sleeping bag: Feathered friends Hummingbird, 1 lb. 14 oz.

Osprey Aether 75: 4 lbs 12 oz

Shoes: Garmont Otero trail shoe.

Hiking Poles: Leki Super Makulu.

Rain Gear: Frogg Toggs Pro Action Suit top and Frogg Toggs Pro Action Suit bottom

Insulation (top):Snowcreek synthetic jacket

Convertible Pants: EMS

Shorts: Columbia

Long Underwear Top: Patagonia Capilene

Long Underwear Bottoms: Patagonia Capilene

Balaclava:Patagonia fleece balaclava

Hand warmth: OR Basic Mitt shells

T-Shirts, 2: One Capilene and one cotton.

Underwear bottoms: 2-3 pair

Socks: 3 pair. 2 smartwool light hiker, one pair hiker.

Ball Cap: any

Bandana: Cotton. Washcloth, etc.

Wristwatch: Wenger Swiss army watch.

Flashlight: Black Diamond super nova

Parachute Cord: 50 ft

Swiss Army Knife: one with can opener and a couple blades.

Pen and Pencil: Ballpoint pen (felt-tip bleeds)

Duct tape: 10 feet wrapped around water bottle.

Needle: 1-2. use floss for thread

Ziplock Bags: as needed

Mirror/Compass: Combo of the two.

Credit/ATM Cards: check card

Driver’s License: For ID

Toothbrush/Paste: A small tube of paste, brush.

Floss: Works good for thread, too.

Blister Fixer: Compeed/Band-Aid Blister Block Bandages are good.

Toilet Paper

Stove: Optimus nova, 14 oz bottle not filled.

Fuel: 1 optimus fuel bottle

Lexan Spoon

Pot Gripper

Cooking Pot: Snow Peak 3 piece ti set.

Water Bag: 3l platypus

Lighter

Water Purification: inline “safe water anywhere” filter

Extra Water Bottle: 1 nalgene or equivelant

Garbage bags: 1 garbage compacter liner, extra trash bags for whatever

Sunblock: 30 w/ aloe

Small medkit: Ibu, superglue, couple bandaids, etc.

Pack cover?

I realize I’m probably forgetting a couple small things, I’ll add more as I pack.

Ehopp

#2

Well here’s my 2 cents -

duct tape - never used it

2 pairs of undies seem to be enough

2 pairs of socks and 1 sock liner

2 wicking t-shirts, no cotton

compass - didn’t need it

don’t need 3 cooking pots - one cooking pot and one lexan drinking cup works good.

I didn’t carry a can opener since I didn’t carry any canned goods, they’re heavy and bulky and then you have to pack the empty can out, tuna fish comes in pouches now, if I got Spam I would cut it up in town and put it in a zip lock and eat it the first night out.

2 platypus - get one with the hose so you can drink while walking.

no Nalgene - they’re bulky and they’re hard to get back in the side pocket if you have your pack on.

don’t need extra trash bags

Yes, I would recommend a pack cover.

How about stuff sacks for your food and clothes, I used different colors for clothes, breakfast/lunch stuff, and dinner stuff, that way it was easy to find everything.

Overall your list looks pretty good.
Leki makes the best hiking poles!

Max

#3

I’ve only ever seen tuna in a packet once, which was a huuuge novelty… How easy is it to get tuna not in a can, along the trail? i live on tuna. love the stuff… and yes i had planned on taking a can opener with me next year

Bloody Cactus

#4

Max,
I appreciate the advice. Everyone so far has told me to drop the cotton t-shirt so that’s gonna happen (posted this list at whiteblaze too).
As far as the cooking pots, I’m now thinking I’ll take one and just use foil for a cover (thnx SGT Rock).

The nalgene is gone… :smiley:

I’ve heard differing opinions on the pack covers. I always line my pack with a plastic bag so I’ve never had anything get wet, but the chance that my pack may weigh alot more form absorbed water is enough for me to think about grabbing a pack cover.

The platypus I have has a hose and a filter in that hose :wink:

I’m gonna keep the compass just because I like to play with em.:lol

no duct tape??? I WOULD FEEL NAKED!

Ehopp

#5

By all means get or fabricate a pack cover. Even though you line your pack with plastic bag, as I did also, it will soak up moisture in the rain. Oh yes, you can spray it with Tectron or some such repellent, but it will get wet sooner or later and take a long time to dry while attracting lots of muddy dirt!

Take a little duct tape…it’s good for covering blister dressings (at least it will stay on) and emergency repairs of all kinds. Sometimes hikers wind some around their trekking poles. I keep about a foot with my first aid stuff. :wink:

Lady Di

#6

use heavy duty garbage bag…put over top of pack and make holes for straps to come thru…they are lite and cheap (a few cents) and they work better than any store bought…get a hole…get another bag…

fausa

#7

With all your gear how much room do you have left in your pack for food. I’m curious because I have been looking at the Aether pack for a while.

I have a small pack 2100 cubic inches I used in the summer. Anything over 4 days and I had stuff tied on everywhere.

Thanks.

ZipDrive

#8

Unless you plan to sleep in the shelters a lot (which I don’t recommend) trade the Thermarest for a ridge rest.

Keep the duct tape - especially if you keep your thermarest. It will get used. If nothing else, it can help with blisters and repairing your shoes when they fall apart.

Besides those that line your sleeping bag bag and clothes bag, bring one bag for trash. Keep any extra trash bags in your drift box.

Bring two lighters. They’re small and a back up can be invaluable if one gets wet.

You can buy sil-nylon pack covers that are light. Garbage bags fall apart and are a pain to put on the pack in a hurry. It rains a lot on the AT (one day in three!)

Bring iodine tabs for backup water protection. The inline filters don’t last very long.

Ginny

#9

ZipDrive,
The pack has ample room for all of my gear and food. I do tend to pack fairly densely.

Ginny, I def plan on keeping the duct tape :wink:
I’ve also got some iodine tabs in my “emergency” kit. I’m skeptical about trading in my thermarest… I’ve used the ridgerest (as well as foam pads and such) and I have to say I like my thermaglutton. I can fold it up and stick it in my pack which allows me to stay pretty streamlined. I must admit camping in the desert with em is a pain though (cactus).

Thanks people :slight_smile:

Ehopp

#10

no cotten no underwear
Petzal is the best torches well I think.
try alcahol for the stove, you have all the time in the world so it is litter although it may take longer or thoughs blocks of solid fuel.
less pots and sun block will not be needed untill the efields in verginea. There will only be some sun in the begining then it will be lots of trees.
The pack cover is a distion between that and a pack liner. I had a cover and liked it.

You will need duck tape it is tradition. Rap it round one of your poles and so do not take too much.:cheers

Sir Lady James

#11

me and soem friends were palnning on hiking the entire trail next summer ive been hiking and campign for weekends and stuff and decided i wanted to do the whole thign any advice? :cheers

mtlpnt529@aol.com

#12

I have no idea what you could possibly need a watch for. There are only days on the AT. Minutes and hours take care of themselves and will be waiting for you back home. You don’t even need to know when the sun goes down, because you can hike at night and sleep during the day. Timelessness one of the more valuable traits to develop on the AT. You can go back to the watch when you go back to time slavery

Blue Jay

#13

LOL. I really never used duct tape. Maybe its a guy thing.

Most of the regular grocery store have tune in the pouches. They also have chicken in pouches now. Its in the same section as the tuna.

I would bring a little sunblock even in the beginning. I started April 3rd and on the 8th day out I got a really bad sunburn. Had to make a side trip into Hiawassee to get sunblock. Maybe trade 8 feet of the duct tape for a little sunblock :wink:

Max

#14

I always carry duct tape. It is good when you have blisters or to prevent them by covering a hot spot with duct tape to ease the friction. I would also pack some sun block.

I would lose the pants and hike in umbros or running shorts. You have rain paints and long undewear if it gets cold crawl in your sleeping bag. Keep in mind when thru-hiking your goal is to cover distance and not be comfortable in camp. Your sleeping bag is warm enough for cold weather so use it and save weight and bulk on your clothing.
I carry camp socks which are clean dry socks I wear in camp or after several days without laundry. I also carry several bandanas and color code the usage. On for a snot rag, wash cloth and kitchen duty. Get a gatorade or power ade bottle for mixing drinks. They’re cheap and don’t get funk when you mix drinks in them. A platypus is a pain to get clean.

I also carry wintergreen rubbing alcohol to clean my feet at night. It helps with foot odors and feels good.

Darth pac-man

#15

Blue Jay,
Funny things is I don’t wear a watch normally. I like the idea that if I had to take someones pulse I could get an accurate reading (not that I couldn’t get a good idea of where they’re at by the rate, strength, and rythym) :wink:

Ehopp

#16

Yes, ditch the rain paints. Never needed them. Didn’t use a compass, used duct tape. Only used one pair of underwear. You will probably ditch the stove by the time you get to the Smokies for a Pepsi or tuna can. I wore the balaclava and no layers in most of the cold weather and was very comfortable. Use your rain jacket as one of the layers and drop one layer. In the whites it was below 30 in the mornings and all I wore was a pair of shorts and a t-shirt with my balaclava. When I started to get warm I just pulled it down around my neck and when it got warmer and we were in the sun I took it off. You probably will not get cold until you stop, then put on something or get into your bag. Good luck

Papa Smurf